Little Fur Family's “Death to Walgreens” Review
The chaotic, self-described ‘post-sass’ outfit refuses to be defined by a genre on their debut EP.
By Wyatt Hall
Crammed into the small, sweaty confines of Southside, I watched Little Fur Family tear through a spellbinding set list during a Sept. 12 performance. While they were in the middle of a nine-band lineup, they still had one of the most entertaining sets of the evening.
Now, weeks later, they’ve released their debut EP, “Death to Walgreens,” a project brimming with character, promise and talent. Their brand of avant-garde metal recalls Mr. Bungle’s incorporation of circus music into funky breakdowns, yet feels refreshingly unpredictable in a genre increasingly defined by the combination of familiar subgenres. “Death to Walgreens” is a breath of fresh air.
Prior to the release of their debut EP, Little Fur Family has stayed consistent with shows and one-off releases. Their first show on campus dates back to Oct. 21, 2025, and their very first release on Bandcamp dates back to May 21, 2025. Even on their first EP, Little Fur Family is refreshing some old ideas: “Walgreens II” and “Bite the Hand” are fresh, expanded rerecordings of tracks that debuted on their November 2025 demo, “THE DYING PULSE.”
While the lineup has changed in the past, the band’s consistent, current lineup consists of Katharine O’Shea, a sophomore studio production major on guitar and vocals; Clara-Cecilia Bamford, a junior studio composition major on guitar and additional vocals; Leo Harben, a junior philosophy major on bass; and Marek Usiatynski, a sophomore studio composition major on drums. On this EP, they are joined by sophomore photography major William Paquet for additional vocals on “Walgreens II,” as well as recording engineer Wiz Petta, who graduated last year and recorded the EP in Studio A.
The members seem to compete for the spotlight, each bringing a distinct character to the arrangements. The guitar riffs are eyebrow-raising, the drums demonstrate remarkable range, the vocals are commanding and the bass sounds gnarly. Above all, the recording is impressively clear, allowing each instrument to cut through the chaos.
When a song like the opener “Goodbye My Damaged Home” manages to progress from glitchy synths to ska to dissonant death metal in a matter of a minute and a half, you quickly realize the band will not let you get used to a single sound. That is the EP’s greatest strength: its character, versatility and the sense that, even on a debut release, the band already knows its sound.
Even when the band settles into a more consistent sound, it retains its abrasive edge. “Walgreens II” is probably the heaviest example of the band leaning into their self-described “post-sass” sound. The shrill, high-pitched vocal style of sasscore is on full display here as the band slips into infectious, rhythmic grooves and intense death growl-filled breakdowns.
The EP’s standout track is the closer “Bite the Hand,” which starts with atmospheric guitars and a great tom groove before throwing you headfirst into dissonant riffs and blast beats. The structure is masterfully unconventional, the guitar riffs are the strongest on the EP, and the weird glitchy synths from the opening track even come back for a little bit towards the end.
Despite the incredible talent on display, there are a few faults here. The second track, “Looking Up At You”, is a perfectly serviceable interlude near the middle of the five track EP, but it doesn’t do much else. A future release could find a way to give a 50-second interlude more of its own identity. Here, ”Looking Up At You” feels more like a condensed, less-developed version of “Walgreens II,” especially when the following track explores similar atmospheric textures with greater depth.
When seeing a new band breathe life into something quickly becoming stale, it is invigorating. Just one studio release into their discography, Little Fur Family wear their influences on their sleeve while combining them into something almost unrecognizable at times. “Death to Walgreens” shines brightest when its influences collide in unexpected ways, only to resolve into the unmistakable sound of a band that knows exactly what it wants to be.
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